Locking clip



Dec. 28, 1948. R. w. PRITCHARD, JR 2,457,272

LOCKING CLIP Filed April 1e, 1947 Patented Dec. 28, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOCKING CLIP Ralph w. Pritchard, Jr., chicago, ni. Application April is, 1947, serial No. f741,7o9

2 Claims. 1

The present invention relates, generally, to a safety clip for an article such as pen, pencil,

pocket thermometer, pocket slide rule, etc., having such a locking action that attempted removal of conventional appearance and provides increasedv locking resistance as an attempt is made to remove such an article unless the safety .clip is released.

Other objects of the invention, will, in part, be obvious and will,.in part, appear hereinafter.

I am aware that safety clips for pens and pen.-

cils and similar articles have been previously made and proposed. It is desirable that these safetyv clips be of a type wherein attempted removal ofthe article from the pocket tends to increase the locking action, unless the safety clip is released. However, I am not aware that fa safety clip of this type `has been previously-,sugj gested or made available having a conventional appearance. 1 f

It is a very important feature that a safet clip has a pleasing and conventional appearance, particularly when applied to pens and pencils, otherwise it will not be accepted. Safety clips of this type, although applicable to any type -of pocket article, have particular application to the more expensive pens and pencils. It is in connection with the latter articles that appearance is a very important factor and mere function alone is not sufficient to make a safety clip accepta-ble in connection with these items.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of the present invention, reference may now be had to the following detail description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein;

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the cap of a pen equipped with a safety clip forming a preferred embodiment of the present invention with the pen cap being shown clipped to a pocket front;

Figure 2 is a view, partly in section, taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but show- .on a vestv pocket, a shirt pocket, coat 2 ing the safetyclip mechanism in the released condition; and

Figure 4' is' anienlarged inside elevational view of the lower, end of the safety clip.

In the drawings, the reference character 5 designates, genearlly, a pen, which it will be under stood is illustrative of any other object which is normally carried inthe pocket, such as a pencil, thermometer,` slide rule, etc. The pen 5, is shown clipped. to a pocket front 6 such as maybe found pocket, or any other thinpiece'of material.

The pen 5 is provided with a safety clip indicated, generally,4 Aat 1. The safety clip `'l com-v prises a stationary clip rmember 8 having an integrally formed ferrule" Ill at' its upper end whichis secured around the top Aof the pen 5 at the shoulder II. The ferrule I0 maybe crimped or friction tted in place.. The stationary clip member 8 also has a clip portion I2 which extends down ,the side o ffthepen 5 and is spaced therefrom so as to permit free entry and withdrawal of the pocket front 6. The clip portion I2 is concave orc-shaped in crossfsection and has an enlarged lower end I3 provided with- ..a suitably smooth` rounded edge I4 so as toguide the pocletfront G underneath the clip. y,

'The cnlargedend I3 also serves; as a housing for a vpawl member I5 having a prong portion I6. The pawl I5 is pivotedwithin the lower end `of the clip portion I2v by apin I'l extending through opposite sides ofthe venlargeclend I3. Thepawl I5 is so disposed that the prong p ortipn. I6 points or ,extendsupwardly and inwardly 'towardthe main body of the pen In order to actuate the pawl member I5, an actuating arm I8 is provided which fits within the stationary clip member 8. At its lower end, the actuating arm I8 is bifurcated as shown in Figure 4 so as to t over or straddle the pawl member I5. The lower end of ithe actuating arm I8 is pivotally connected to the pawl member I 5 by the pin 20 extending therethrough (Figure 2) so that the pin I1 serves as a fulcrum for the pawl I5.

At its upper end, the actuating arm I8 is connected with a plunger member 2I Awhich may be a metal stamping or a plastic button which fits within a cavity 22 formed in the upper end of the cap of the pen 5. The actuating arm I8 may be connected to the plunger 2| by spot welding as indicated at 23. A vertical slot 24 is cut in the side wall of the cavity 22 so as to allow movement of the actuating arm I8 therein,

In order to normally bias or push the plunger member 2| to its upper or outer position, a coil spring 25 is provided within the cavity 22 so as to push up against the inside of the plunger 2l. The plunger 2l may be depressed against the force of the spring 25 by application of pressure by the thumb or finger. The ferrule I0, secured to the cap at the shoulder il, serves to retain the assembly in place. Upward movement of the plim'gerfl'sflim'ited by thefiresistamceo fered tothe movement of the ipawl `prong =lT6 :by the main body of the pen 5.

In operation, the spring 25 normally maintains 'f' the pawl member I5 in its locked position, asv shown in Figure 2. That is, the spring 25 forces or biases the plunger 2| in its iipotion thereby tending to lift the .actuating arm I8.

Upward movement of the actuating arm- 18104 tates the pawl I6 in a clockwise directionvarouhd the pin i1, thereby forcing the prong I6 into the pocket fronti, The spring25normally holds the prong I E in this locked position.l It bese'en .that ifan attempt `is made .to-lift the p'en5'out of thepcketwhenthe prong i6 is in thelocked postion, the pulling .action tend-s tovcause 4the `point ofthe prong VIB tn .bite into the pocket front 6 with increased'. locking. action.

Depression oi theplun'eer 2l bythethumb or futsal' againstithe force of tliespringz, ,lowers theactuating arm 4.,I.8` thereby rotating theprong 16 'away from the pocket front 6 and main body of the pen 5. vThe..unlocln e. d,or-neleased position of. the safety clip 'part is 'shown in Figure ofy the drawings. f 'Theimovingpartsof the safety clip arenot visible and the safety. clip hasa conventional appamn. o l Since the invention maytalre the form of .vari ous specic embodiments; itlwill be understood thatthe lone Aembodiment .described hereinabove andshown in' the accompanying drawings,'is`to be interpreted as `illustrative and not in a limiting i .Y u. w; .v What is claimed as new:ls: y 1;. A safetyclip for' an article such asv apenor pencl which comprises; jin' combination? a' tionary clip 'member' "liavirig'an 4attaclimerit pore"- tionu 1forsecurement vto""said"`articlev adjacent the top thereof and having aclip portion extending' alo'wnthe-- sidefof said' article and spaced there-l freni-so as tofpermit a pocket front to yslip freely. betweensaid 'stationary clip 'member and=said article,l va pawl member pivotally attached to the lower end of said stationary clip member'so that thefl-prongportonof said pawl is directed Iupwardlyf and inwardly toward said articleran'd may be moved into and out of engagement with a pocket front, an actuating arm tting within said stationary clip member, the lower end of said actuating arm being pivotally connected to said pawl member so that vertical movement of said actuating arm actuates said paw] member, a plunger member mounted on the upper end of said article, a spring in the upper end of said article normally biasing said plunger in an outward positionand means in'tferconmect'mg the upiper-end oi said 'actuating `clip arm with said plunger; said pawl prong being normally biased finto locking engagement with a pocket front and released from said locking engagement upon' depression of said plunger.

' llfi-foonventonally appearing safety clip for an .article Asuch as a pen or pencil, which comprises in combination, a stationary clip meinberha'vmg an integrally formed ferrule at its upper end secured around the top of said article and having a-clip .portion extending down the .side ofsaid article and Vspaced therefrom so as to permit v'free-entry .and withdrawal of a pocket -frontin .between said 4clip portion and .said article. said portion `being `C-shaped in cross-section with the sides being turned .in toward said article, apawl member pivotally attached within the lower end of said clip .portion so .that the prong .portion of said pawl is directed upwardly and inwardly toward said article and is free to bemoved into and out of engagement with a pocketfront, an actuating arm fitting 'within said .clip portion, the lower end of said actuatinga'rm' being pivotaily connected to said pawl member so that upward movement of said actuating arm pivots said pawi member so as vtu move said vprong portion into locking engagement with a pocket `front while downward movement of saidactuating arml pivots said pawlV member soas to Vmove said prong portion away from a pocketfront, the upper end of saidarticle having'a cavity formed therein with a vertical slot inthe wall thereof, a Iplunger member yfitting within s aidcavity, a coil compression spring in said cavity'a'nd fitting underneath said `plunger soasfto Vnormallyloi-as theflatter toward its out# ermst position,said-actuating arm having anv integralfconnecting -portionbn its upper end 'fasey tenedto'said'Plui-'iger and slidable 'in said slot, said pawl prong being normally biasedfinto lock inglengagementwith a pocket front Aand being releasabl from said `locking engagement upon depression of-said plunger.

. H- RALPH W. PRITCHARD, JR.

No references cited. 

